All posts by n8rngtd.top

After a few years away, Chelsea are finally back in Champions League action tonight.

It won’t be an easy reintroduction to Europe’s premier competition, though, as Enzo Maresca’s Conference League winners will be taking on Bayern Munich.

The German champions are stacked with incredible players in every position, but the one the Blues have to be most wary of is undoubtedly Harry Kane.

The England captain has the ability to take games away from teams, although Chelsea have a superstar of their own, someone who could well outshine Kane.

Chelsea's record against Bayern Munich

Despite both Bayern and Chelsea being two of the biggest clubs in European football and consistently competing for the top prizes in recent decades, they’ve only played one another in five competitive games.

The first was back in the 2004/05 season, in which the Baverians travelled to West London for the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final, a game the hosts won 4-2, which was then followed by a 3-2 win for the German giants in the second leg.

However, the most famous meeting between the two institutions came just over 13 years ago, when Roberto Di Matteo’s side managed to beat the odds and claim their first Champions League title by beating Jupp Heynckes’ men 4-3 on penalties.

It was in that game that Didier Drogba scored his most famous goal for the Blues, and Petr Čech played a crucial role by saving a penalty from Arjen Robben in extra time.

Unfortunately, FC Hollywood have had the upper hand in the two games since that incredible final.

They demolished Frank Lampard’s side 3-0 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg of their round-of-16 clash in February 2020, and then completed the job with a 4-1 win when the competition resumed that August after the first lockdown.

In all, while Bayern have won most of their encounters, Chelsea fans wouldn’t swap their records thanks to that famous night in Munich. Although with that said, Maresca will be looking to improve that record tonight, and so long as he starts the player who could upstage Kane, then there is every chance he will.

Chelsea star could outshine Kane

While they’ve received plenty of criticism for their transfer strategy over the years, Chelsea now have a team packed with brilliant players.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The likes of Moises Caicedo, Joao Pedro and Enzo Fernández could get into most top teams around Europe, but without a doubt, the Blues’ best player is Cole Palmer.

The former Manchester City gem is the definition of a game-changer, and should he be on song against Bayern, there is every chance he could outshine Kane.

While the England captain is that bit more prolific a goalscorer, almost everything good the West Londoners do goes through their dazzling number ten, so much so that GOAL’s Sean Walsh once suggested that he is “Lampard, Drogba & Hazard all in one”, combining the best attributes of three Stamford Bridge legends.

Rather unsurprising, Chelsea’s fortunes changed for the better when he came on at the weekend, entering the fray on Saturday in the 56th minute and just five minutes later scoring the equalising goal for his side.

It was hardly a surprise, though, as in 99 appearances for the Pensioners, totalling 7984 minutes, the “generational talent,” as dubbed by journalist Scott Bradley, has scored 44 goals and provided 29 assists.

In other words, the 23-year-old has maintained an average of a goal involvement every 1.35 games, or every 109.36 minutes, which is frankly absurd.

Moreover, he proved himself to be a big-game player at the Club World Cup, scoring two goals in the final against a heavily favoured Paris Saint-Germain.

Ultimately, while Bayern will be the favourites, Chelsea have every chance of coming away with all three points tomorrow night, especially if Palmer starts and is on song.

"It's on you" – Redknapp criticises £40m Chelsea star after Brentford draw

The Sky Sports presenter slammed one Chelsea player after the 2-2 draw against Brentford.

By
Dominic Lund

Sep 15, 2025

Jenni Hermoso has been recalled to the Spain squad by new head coach Sonia Bermudez. The legendary forward, who is her country's all-time leading goalscorer, was caught up in the Luis Rubiales scandal which accompanied La Roja's World Cup triumph in 2023. She is now stepping back into the fold alongside former Barcelona team-mate Mapi Leon, who sees a three-year exile from the international arena brought to a close.

• Hermoso left out of Spain's Euro 2025 squad

  Hermoso, who has found the target on 57 occasions for Spain through 123 appearances, was surprisingly left out of a European Championship title bid in 2025 – despite featuring in all six qualifiers leading up to that tournament. The veteran forward had continued to figure in headlines around the world as a result of the Rubiales scandal.

  The former head of Spain’s football federation kissed Hermoso on the lips when presenting her with a World Cup winners’ medal. He maintained that said clinch was consensual, but Hermoso always refuted that claim. Rubiales was found guilty of sexual assault in February 2025 and, while being spared jail, was fined €10,800 (£8,942).

  Hermoso said of being overlooked by Spain for Euro 2025: "I truly have a clear conscience, especially when I remove environments with such bad energy from my life." She went on to say: "Let them focus on making Spain European champions."

Advertisement

• Bermudez now calling the shots as Spain boss

  Montse Tome came agonisingly close to delivering on that remit, with a penalty shootout defeat being suffered to England in the European Championship final. She had said of leaving Hermoso out of her plans: "I understand Jenni is an important player. I spoke with her about her situation and we've done the same work with her as everyone else. We have assessed her performances for Tigres and spoken with her coach. In her position, we have Patri [Guijarro], Aitana [Bonmati], Alexia [Putellas], Maite [Zubieta], Vicky [Lopez] and even Mariona [Caldentey] or [Claudia] Pina can come in there. It's hard to pick 23 players, but we do the job professionally. At the end of the day that is what we have chosen."

  Bermudez gave little away when being quizzed on Hermoso at her official presentation as successor to Tome. She said when asked about that big selection call: "I'm not going to reveal who Jennifer Hermoso is. She's a legend, the national team's top scorer, who's now in Mexico. But you'll have to wait for the list.

  "We're starting from scratch. We want to focus on the project and we're going to try to bring in the best players. We're following all the players and monitoring them every week. I'm looking forward to getting started. When the list arrives, we'll talk about all the players."

• Spain squad named for UEFA Nations League games

  That list has now dropped, and Hermoso’s name is on it. She is 35 years of age but boasts vast experience and goal-scoring instincts. Hermoso was awarded the Silver Ball for her exploits at the 2023 World Cup, having scored three goals and registered two assists, and claimed Golden Boot honours on five occasions during her time in Spanish domestic football with Barcelona (two spells) and Atletico Madrid.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Leon returns to Spain squad after three-year absence

  Her former club colleague in Catalunya, Mapi Leon, has also been drafted back into the fold. She has not represented Spain since 2022 – having figured in the Euros that year. She was one of 15 players that abstained from national call-ups during a dispute with then-head coach Jorge Vilda. Leon ruled herself out of contention for the 2023 World Cup.

  She has been caught up in a scandal of her own since then, with the 30-year-old defender being accused of touching a rival inappropriately during a Liga F clash between Barcelona and Espanyol in February 2025.

  Leon was accused of "violating the privacy" of Colombia defender Daniela Caracas despite denying that she touched the groin area of a derby rival while defending a free-kick. Leon was subsequently stung with a two-match suspension. Any issues there have now been left in the past, with Spain preparing for a two-legged UEFA Nations League semi-final clash with Sweden.

Everton’s quick start out of the blocks this season has faltered in recent weeks.

Since a frustrating 0-0 stalemate against Aston Villa was picked up in the middle of September, David Moyes’ Toffees have then gone on to collect two concerning defeats in both the Premier League and EFL Cup, while falling foul to another unwanted draw against West Ham United last time out.

Moyes will hope his uncertain side can get back to winning ways sooner rather than later as the games continue to come in October, with clashes against Crystal Palace and Manchester City not looking the easiest on paper.

Still, there was certainly enough on display across Everton’s blistering start to indicate that they can excite fans and pick up results when everything is clicking.

Signs to remain positive at Everton

A huge factor behind Everton sealing various electric wins at the very start of the campaign was the magic of Jack Grealish.

Indeed, the two early wins on the spin against Brighton and Hove Albion and Wolverhampton Wanderers saw the silky number ten collect a bumper four assists, as Premier League defences just didn’t know how to handle the ex-Aston Villa man’s creativity on the ball.

The rejuvenated attacker did amass four key passes against the Hammers, but it wouldn’t result in another assist being notched up, with Grealish soon to sit out the clash against the Citizens owing to his loan deal. Still, Moyes does also have the likes of Iliman Ndiaye and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall he can rely on for split-second moments of quality.

He even has Michael Keane he can fall back on if needs be, as the long-standing Toffees servant was the only goalscorer against Nuno Espirito Santo’s men on Monday night.

But, he will be desperately worried about one individual in his side who continues to let the team down, so much so that he now looks to be on borrowed time as a regular under the Scotsman’s wing.

The Everton star who's having a "really negative effect"

After all, the likes of Grealish and Ndiaye creating chances galore ends up being practically redundant if there isn’t a red-hot finisher prepared to bury the opportunity.

While Beto did enjoy a mini purple patch last season when the joy of Moyes’ return was at its peak – with a blistering seven strikes picked up under the Glaswegian’s tutelage from 18 Premier League clashes – he has clearly gone off the boil once more, situated on Merseyside, when considering his concerning numbers from this season in isolation.

It feels like an awfully long time ago now since Beto was “thriving” – as he was labelled by journalist Paddy Boyland – and firing under Moyes, with the lacklustre number nine only managing one meagre goal so far this season in Premier League action.

Failing to take games by the scruff of their neck at 18.5 touches averaged per league clash, it’s also worryingly apparent now that Beto’s reputation for being a “powerful” presence – as Sean Dyche once noted – is also somewhat of a myth, with only three of his duels won against West Ham, despite attempting 13 tussles in total.

Having such a hit-and-miss striker as a focal point up top is having a detrimental impact on Everton’s recent results, with the other attackers around him only capable of doing so much.

Everton-based writer Ell Bretland summed it up nicely when he stated that Beto’s shortcomings are now “glaringly obvious” when paired next to entertaining teammates in the form of Grealish and Ndiaye, stating that it’s beginning to have a “really negative effect.”

There will still be a tinge of hope in the air that Beto can recapture his early form under Moyes, but persisting with the goal-shy 27-year-old could come back to seriously bite the Toffees, particularly if their recent winless run goes on to stretch beyond the setbacks suffered in September.

Not just O'Brien: Moyes is wasting Everton star in his current position

David Moyes’ Everton side still need to go up a few gears over the coming weeks.

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 1, 2025

Wolves boss Vitor Pereira could become the fourth Premier League manager to be sacked in the 2025-26 campaign as the Portuguese coach has reportedly been given just four matches to prove himself. Wolves are off to a nightmare start in the new season as they have failed to register a single victory after eight rounds of matches in the Premier League and find themselves languishing at the bottom of the league table.

• Pereira could lose his job despite signing new contract

  Wolves made a big decision back in September when they offered a new three-year deal to Pereira, despite the club losing their first four Premier League matches. The decision surprised many as the club looked terribly out of form at that point. The club's stance on offering a new deal was revealed through an official statement from chairman Jeff Shi, which read: "Vitor has made a very positive impact during his time at Wolves. He’s brought clarity, energy and a team spirit that gives us a foundation to be successful. What he achieved last season was excellent, with a highly competitive record, including six Premier League wins in a row and a deserved nomination for the Manager of the Season award. Now is a time for stability. Vitor needs time to work with the squad, to build a chemistry with new players, and we will do everything to support him and his staff."

  The Portuguese coach arrived at Molineux last December and guided the club from 19th to 16th and top-flight safety. However, Pereira has failed to inspire his players in the current campaign and is at risk of losing his job.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Pereira has four games to prove himself

  Former Manchester United chief scout Mick Brown has claimed that Wolves are likely to make a final call on Pereira's future during the next international break in November. Till then, Pereira has four matches to turn things around at Molineux, starting with their upcoming Premier League fixture against Burnley on Sunday. After the Burnley clash, Wolves face Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, followed by back-to-back away league matches against Fulham and the Blues.

  Speaking on the , Brown said: "There will be a concern for Wolves right now if they don’t improve, they could find themselves cut adrift and when that normally happens you see a potential managerial change happening. Obviously, they’ve got Chelsea in the Carabao Cup, Fulham then away after the Burnley game is a tricky one, then Chelsea away. So there are some difficult looking fixtures after the Burnley game for Wolves and Vitor Pereira. And then we’ve got the international break, and that could be the time if things haven’t improved. If they haven’t picked up too many points in those next three Premier League games then you can possibly see the pressure really being on Pereira. When you get the international break, it gives clubs the opportunity to assess things, and the fears could be there that they could make a change in the hot seat at Molineux."

• Can Wolves sack Pereira less than two months after contract renewal?

  Football Insider further claims that Wolves are not concerned about paying a hefty compensation to Pereira, who penned a new deal less than two months ago. A section of the fan base is already demanding the sacking of the head coach, while the club have a hidden clause in the new contract of the manager. The clause, however, has not been disclosed but there is definitely no guarantee that Pereira's position is safe even after extending his stay at Molineux. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Which other clubs have sacked their managers?

  It's only been over two months since the 2025-26 Premier League kicked off and we have already seen the sacking of three managers from their positions. Nottingham Forest's managerial merry-go-round has been the most-talked about incident in the league thus far as the club have already sacked two managers. They first parted ways with Nuno Espirito Santo in September as they brought in former Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou. But the Australian coach lasted just 39 days in his position, as Sean Dyche recently replaced him at the helm.

  Nun, on the other hand, made a swift return to the English top-flight as he replaced former Chelsea boss Graham Potter at West Ham. The Hammers decided to part ways with the English coach after a terrible start to the new season.

AC Milan are one of the most historic clubs in Europe. However, they have won just one Serie A title in the last 14 years.

Despite this, the Rossoneri still have a number of stars at the San Siro, and as a result, have an annual payroll of €94.7m, with the average player earning €3.3m a season.

But who earns the most? Every Milan player in the first-team squad has been ranked in order from highest to lowest in terms of wages for the 2025/26 season, with the help of Capology.

Disclaimer – only the club and the players themselves truly know their wages, so take each of these figures as you will.

Here's a detailed look at AC Milan's top 10 earners…

10

Santiago Gimenez

€89,038 per week

Mexican striker Santiago Gimenez joined AC Milan from Feyenoord at the beginning of 2025, penning a deal until 2029.

In the second half of the 2024/25 season, Gimenez scored five Serie A goals in 670 minutes.

9

Ardon Jashari

€89,038 per week

Ardon Jashari swapped Club Brugge for AC Milan in a deal worth a total of €39m.

The Switzerland international, who is primarily a holding midfielder, is on €4.63m a season for the next five years.

8

Pervis Estupinan

€89,038 per week

After starring in the Premier League for Brighton, left-back Pervis Estupinan headed to the San Siro in a deal that saw the Seagulls receive £17m.

An Ecuador international, Estupinan is the fourth player on €4.63m a season and like Jashari, is under contract until 2030.

7

Ruben Loftus-Cheek

€98,654 per week

English midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek joined Milan from Chelsea in 2023.

Loftus-Cheek penned a four-year deal and has already made more than 70 appearances in red and black.

6

Christian Pulisic

€98,654 per week

Also picking up €5.13m per season is Christian Pulisic, with the attacker really finding his feet in Italy after a tricky period with Chelsea.

Captain of the United States, Pulisic signed in 2023 and has been a regular ever since. He’s under contract until 2027.

5

Youssouf Fofana

€106,923 per week

Midfielder Youssouf Fofana arrived in 2024 from Monaco at a cost of a reported €25m.

The France international was linked with the likes of Manchester United before signing for Milan, penning a four-year deal at the San Siro.

4

Rafael Leao

€123,269 per week

Winger Rafael Leao has been attracting plenty of interest after his starring displays in Italy and is the top earner at AC Milan.

The Portugal international was signed for €35m in 2019, and should Milan cash in over the coming years, they could make a healthy profit.

3

Luka Modric

€124,615 per week

Luka Modric signed a one-year deal with AC Milan in 2025 after leaving Real Madrid following 13 years at the Bernabeu.

With no transfer fee required, Modric signed a €6.5m deal and turned 40 at the start of the 2025/26 season.

2

Adrien Rabiot

€178,077 per week

AC MIlan’s joint-top earner, Adrien Rabiot moved to the club from Marseille in 2025 after a short spell with the French club.

Formerly of Juventus, the midfielder signed a three-year deal and is in line to earn just shy of €28m in wages.

1

Christopher Nkunku

€178,077 per week

Christopher Nkunku is also on €9.26m per season and signed a five-year deal with AC Milan after joining from Chelsea.

Costing around €42m, the French forward has played in Ligue 1, Bundesliga and the Premier League before moving to Serie A.

Kate Scott left Thierry Henry, Jamie Carragher and Michah Richards in hysterics after suffering an unfortunate wardrobe malfunction while fronting CBS Sports’ coverage of the Champions League. The incident occurred on October 22, with a panel made up of former Premier League stars seeing the funny side of their host being left a little red-faced.

• Wardrobe malfunction: What happened to Scott?

  During the build-up to another busy evening of elite European competition, Richards and Co took the opportunity to welcome former USMNT star Clint Dempsey into their ranks. He is, of course, a familiar face to American audiences. Some playful fist-bumping took place between those preparing to offer expert insight and analysis.

  Scott looked to get in on the act, but had to lean over the desk in order to reach Dempsey’s outstretched arm. In doing so, she ended up ripping the top that she was wearing. The 44-year-old quickly realised what had happened and managed to grab the garment in question before it slipped any further.

Advertisement

• Richards' trouser tear left CBS Sports panel in tears

  She looked a little sheepish when returning to her chair and blurted out: “Oh! I just broke my top!” Scott invited a member of CBS Sports’ production team onto set to help her out, with those sitting alongside her showing no sympathy whatsoever.

  Henry, Carragher and Richards burst into fits of laughter, with the latter seeing his booming chuckle echo around the studio. Former Manchester City and Aston Villa defender Richards said: “Now you know how it feels! Give us a stretch then.”

  Richards has suffered his own on-air clothing issues down the years. When covering Barcelona’s clash with Portuguese side Benfica in January, he popped a button clean off his shirt when jumping in the air to celebrate a dramatic 96th-minute goal from Raphinha in a thrilling 5-4 victory for Barca.

  Prior to that, in October 2023, Richards ripped the crotch in his trousers when attempting to mimic the iconic goal celebration of World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe. Said incident left Scott and Carragher in tears, with the ex-Liverpool defender saying: “I’m not sure who is being cancelled, but someone is!”

• Who is Kate Scott married to & does he have beef with Carragher?

  Fans around the world found Scott’s latest gaffe funny, with several making playful jokes on social media at her expense. The CBS Sports crew have built up a legion of loyal supporters, with their behaviour always entertaining.

  The odd unfortunate headline has been made, with Carragher once questioning the loyalty of Scott to her boxing trainer husband Malik Scott. A man that has previously worked with world heavyweight champion Deontay Wilder has since told of a supposed feud: “Jamie and I always see each other, so it's not an intimidating thing. It's just a respect that men have with each other. That's all it is. I respect him, he respects me, and my wife respects him, and he's going to respect my wife. And he does respect my wife. There’s no grudge with Jamie at all. I love that whole panel.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Promise of more Champions League carnage to come

  Questionable comments and wardrobe malfunctions are always a possibility when Richards and Carragher are involved, with Arsenal great Henry having told  of trying to produce entertaining television: “The main thing is that it is us. It is really us. People think I am putting on a face, but that is how I am. That is me. The most important thing is that we are friends. Nobody is acting.”

  The show’s producer, Matt Curtis, added on that subject: “If people are guarded, if they’re worried about how long they have to talk or what happens if they mess up, there is an air of tension. Hopefully we’ve taken that away from them. We’ve tried to create an environment where they feel comfortable being themselves.”

  There is the promise of more carnage to come, with CBS Sports set to continue with their Champions League coverage through to the final of that competition at the 67,000-seater Puskas Arena in Budapest, Hungary on May 30, 2026.

Back-to-back victories before the international break should have meant Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United were in a confident mood travelling to Brighton and Hove Albion on Saturday.

However, come full-time on the South Coast, the visiting Magpies fell victim to a third Premier League defeat of the campaign already, as a Danny Welbeck double handed the hosts a slender 2-1 victory.

Sitting in a below-par 12th position after eight games could spur Howe into taking decisive action to push his team up the standings, with regular first-teamer Joelinton perhaps at risk of dropping out of his manager’s starting XI, after another out-of-sorts performance was served up by the Brazilian.

Why Joelinton needs to be replaced

With 239 Newcastle games under his belt, it is clear that Joelinton is a firm fan favourite at St James’ Park when he’s firing on all cylinders.

Indeed, the energetic South American has even been hailed as a “machine” in the past by teammate Kieran Trippier when he’s run himself into the ground for the cause, with his tally of 31 goals and 21 assists over that same stretch of games making him an even more useful asset to have around, away from just his hard-working nature.

Yet, he hasn’t been without his critics this season, with his 45-minute stint against the Seagulls last time out declared by Newcastle-based blog Mouth of the Tyne as being “not good enough” amid his overall drop-off being “really noticeable.”

When looking deeper into his numbers, it’s clear to see why many haven’t minced their words, with the number seven only managing to register 21 accurate passes as a passenger, while also failing to hit a single effort at the Brighton goal.

Unfortunately, it does appear as if Joelinton is now declining after hitting his Tyneside peak, with a period out of Howe’s first team maybe doing the eight-time Brazil international some good in the long run, as he attempts to get back to his best.

It could also open up opportunities for those on the periphery to take over from Joelinton, with one youthful bright spark now ready to be unleashed as a long-term replacement for the 29-year-old.

Newcastle's ideal Joelinton replacement

Of course, Joelinton isn’t in isolation as an underperformer that will be worrying Howe, with Anthony Elanga also hooked at the half-time break against Brighton after an equally unmemorable shift against Fabian Hurzeler’s hosts.

Jacob Murphy could well step up and replace Elanga in the near future as an experienced, steady presence in his manager’s camp. Whereas, when searching for a replacement for Joelinton, Howe might be tempted to give 19-year-old hotshot Lewis Miley the platform to express himself more regularly, after the teenager assisted Nick Woltemade’s clever finish against Brighton.

Credit also has to go to the number 67, who quickly found Woltemade in space to convert with a back-heel, after only being on the pitch for 31 minutes to pick up his first goal contribution of the season.

This already gives him the upper hand over Joelinton, with Miley hopeful he can live up to all the early hype that surrounded his fledgling Magpies career once upon a time to maintain a first-team spot.

Amazingly, Miley is already up to 54 senior appearances for his boyhood side, with Premier League and Champions League debuts handed to the 6-foot-2 ace at just 17 years of age, not fazing him one bit, with an assist also next to his name in Europe’s elite competition.

It has led to a lot of praise coming his way, with NBC Sport’s Robbie Earle once referring to Miley as a “little diamond” for his “classy” displays, while pundit Pat Nevin has also exclaimed that the 19-year-old is “the next young English superstar.”

Still, despite all these glowing words, Miley only has one top-flight start next to his name this season.

Expect that to soon change, however, if Howe decides that enough is enough for Joelinton being a concrete member of his first team.

Newcastle man who was "tough to watch" is now on borrowed time under Howe

Newcastle United’s defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion has highlighted some issues for Eddie Howe.

1

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 19, 2025

Manchester United had held talks with Robert De Zerbi and Thomas Tuchel to replace Erik ten Hag as their head coach last year, before turning to Ruben Amorim for the role. On November 1, 2024, days after Ten Hag's sacking, the United hierarchy confirmed Amorim's arrival at Old Trafford from Sporting CP. After a disappointing start to their 2024-25 season, Ten Hag was shown the door in October.

• United under Amorim

  Amorim endured a nightmare start to his tenure at Old Trafford as United ended the 2024-25 season trophyless and 15th in the Premier League, their worst finish in half a century. A loss in the Europa League final against Tottenham Hotspur also meant that the Red Devils would be without European football in the 2025-26 campaign. In the new season, the English giants once again experienced a tough start but they have now revived their form by winning three league matches in a row, including a win against champions Liverpool at Anfield.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  United's search for Ten Hag's replacement

  According to Andy Mitten, the United hierarchy was convinced that they needed a new head coach by May 2024 due to a series of poor results under Ten Hag. Omar Berrada, who was yet to formally join United as their CEO, along with Sir Jim Ratcliffe, acknowledged that Ten Hag's time was up at Old Trafford. The management met in a meeting in Monaco, where the decision was finalised.

  United implemented a full data analysis on the managerial market, although they had to be careful as their in-house data capabilities are not at the highest level. The search for a new manager was based on the team playing a 4-3-3 formation. Six candidates were soon shortlisted as managers like Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, De Zerbi, Thomas Frank, Marco Silva and Graham Potter were on the Red Devils' radar.

  Amorim was not on United's initial shortlist as the club at that point prioritised Premier League experience, which the Portuguese coach did not have. Director of football Jason Wilcox, however, later spoke to his contacts about who the next great coach was and that is when the 40-year-old's name came up, alongside Thiago Motta.

• Why De Zerbi and Tuchel rejected United?

  In the column, Mitten added: "United leaned towards Tuchel and De Zerbi — the latter considered a bit of a maverick but ultimately a top coach. Tuchel came to Monaco for a meeting with United’s leaders two weeks after the FA Cup final, in which Ten Hag’s side outsmarted and defeated Manchester City for a momentous win. Tuchel came across incredibly well, but no terms were agreed and the German wasn’t ready for the United job. He was to take a short break from football after a difficult time at Bayern Munich that led to him leaving that club only the previous month. 

  "So De Zerbi became the frontrunner, and financial terms were discussed with the Italian in line with what United felt was fair. Those terms were rejected, and the club chose not to improve them. De Zerbi’s next job was instead at Marseille in France, where he’s unlikely to be on the same level of pay as a United head coach would be getting."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• How Man Utd signed Amorim?

  In October, the leadership finally met at INEOS HQ in central London, where the approval came to terminate Ten Hag's deal. Another meeting was held in Barcelona later that month, where the consensus of the football executive landed on Amorim, and Berrada was charged with finalising the deal. The process started with assessing crucial details for any agreement — if Amorim was interested in taking the job immediately, his buyout clause in Lisbon, what his wage demands were likely to be, and who he’d want to bring with him and when.

  The officials then met the Portuguese coach in Seville in a private house and the encounter went on for five hours. Amorim presented his idea and plans in detail, which impressed the Red Devils bosses. Amorim had even asked why the club wanted to appoint him midway into the season, to which they said that he would get acclimatised with the new league and the squad in the rest of the 2024-25 campaign.

The Chicago White Sox staved off history on Tuesday with a win over the Los Angeles Angels. The 3-2 victory kept them from passing the 1962 New York Mets on the list for most losses in a season since the start of the 1900s. With just five games remaining, the 1899 Cleveland Spiders' record 134 losses is safe, but that doesn't mean the White Sox are going out draped in glory.

During the top of the fifth inning Angels centerfielder Mickey Moniak popped the ball up in fair territory near the pitcher's mound. That's where White Sox pitcher Jonathan Cannon, catcher Chuckie Robinson, first baseman Gavin Sheets and third baseman Miguel Vargas converged.

It's unclear who yelled, "I got it. I got it," but it's good to know his teammates were listening because no one made much of an attempt to catch the ball. Including the player who called it.

This kind of thing happens in baseball. Even in the big leagues. For proof, just look at how the White Sox scored the game-tying run in the eighth inning on a similarly poorly played shallow fly ball that dropped.

Despite the result of the game, only one of these highlights is likely to live on.

Celtic could still potentially appoint Ange Postecoglou as their new manager for a second time, but it may be dependent on what Martin O’Neill does.

The Hoops are continuing their search for their next boss, with O’Neill coming in as interim boss for the time being, looking to steady the ship and get their Scottish Premiership title challenge back on track.

While many are expecting the Irishman to be in charge for a short amount of time, a new report has suggested that he could remain in the role for the remainder of the 2025/26 season.

Celtic supporters are no doubt divided about who they want to see as their next permanent manager, and how long they want to see O’Neill at the club for that matter, with a host of names being mentioned since Brendan Rodgers departed last week.

Club Brugge boss Nicky Hayen is seen as one of the favourites to come in, having enjoyed league and cup glory in Belgium in the past couple of years. He is far from the only option, with Lee Carsley, Damien Duff and Robbie Keane among those in the mix, too.

How Postecoglou could still make Celtic return

Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke claimed that Postecoglou could still make a shock return to Celtic at the end of the season when the timing is better for the Australian, meaning O’Neill may need to remain in temporary charge until then.

Postecoglou may not be rushing into a decision right now, as O’Rourke alludes to, but if he knows the Celtic job will become available next summer instead of right now, it may appeal to him.

The 60-year-old enjoyed a hugely successful spell at Parkhead in his first stint as manager, winning two Scottish Premiership titles and Scottish League Cups apiece, as well as one Scottish Cup.

Granted, his stock has fallen after disappointing spells at Tottenham and Nottingham Forest, despite winning the Europa League with the former, but he knows Celtic inside out and would bring an attacking brand of football that went down well with the fans first time around.

Celtic chiefs readying drastic action in Nicky Hayen pursuit with huge wages on offer

He is reportedly keen on taking charge at Parkhead.

By
Henry Jackson

Nov 1, 2025

If O’Neill is only in interim charge for a short time, a different option feels best, though, with Postecoglou potentially mentally tired after a tough year.

Celtic have reached out to hire a "tactically unbeatable" manager – it's not Ange